Dental articulator.



No. 882,375. PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908. I A. V. DEAR.

DENTAL ARTIGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1907- THE Pmwms Frrsns co, WASHIMCYON, o. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT VICTOR DEAR, OF MALVERN, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DAVID PHILIP DEAR, OF WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA.

DENTAL ARTICULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 17, 1908.

Application filed September 6, 1907. Serial No. 391,713.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT VICTOR DEAR, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 15 Wattle Tree road, Malvern, in the county of Bourke, State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Dental Articulator, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dental articulators, and the object of the invention is to provide a device which shall permit of all the various adjustments required and which shall be effective in operation.

With this object in view the invention consists in the novel mechanical features hereinafter more fully set forth and illustrated in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevation looking at my framework (all parts being in place) from the pivoting end. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my framework. Portions of the cast ends of the upper and lower members have been removed for convenience of illustration. Fig. 3 is a plan of the lower member of the framework to which the lower cast is attached. The upper member is removed and also its pivot pin. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the head plate. The locking screw is removed for convenience of illustration. Fig. 5 is a plan of a head plate. The hinging head cover is shown in dotted lines in an open position. Fig. 6 is a plan of the upper cast holding plate to which the upper cast is attached. It is removed from the head plate. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the head plate turned to show the hinging end of the head plate cover. Fig. 8 is a plan of the spherical head, neck, shoulder piece and lugs forming a compound adjusting piece. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of Fig. 8 showing the bend in the neck.

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar or corresponding parts where they occur in the several views.

My invention includes a framework having a lower and an upper member. The cast end of the lower member has a circular ring 2 therein (Fig. 3). This is united to an outer half ring 3 by uniting pieces 4. On the other or pivotal end of the said lower member are upwardly extending arms 5 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). Through each arm and near its top is a pivot pin hole to accommodate a pivot pin 6 having on one end a head 11 (Figs. 1 and 2). One of these pivot pin holes is threaded to accommodate one end of the pivot pin 6 which also is threaded. EX- tending between the two arms and preferably below the pivot pin 6 is a bridge piece 7 (Figs. 1 and 3). Through this bridge piece is a vertically threaded hole. This accommodates an elevating screw 8 having a head 9. The upper end of this screw passes above the top of the said bridge piece and elevates the upper member of the framework as hereinafter described. The said elevating screw may itself be locked by a locking nut 10 of any character.

Pivoted to the pin 6 are the lugs 12 of a compound adjusting piece (Figs. 1, 8 and 9). The said lugs 12 are part of a shoulder piece 13. From the middle of the said shoulder piece protrudes the inner end of a neck 14. This neck may be round, square, rectangular or of other section. The said neck is bent as seen in Fig. 9, thereby forn'iing a better bed for the top of the screw 8. Beneath the neck is the upper end of the said elevating screw 8. The said neck rests upon said screw. The outer end of said neck has a spherical head 15 adapted to engage a socket 17 in the mechanism for supporting the upper cast.

In combination with the foregoing I use a head plate 16 (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7), having a socket 17 therein (Fig. 4). In this socket 17 the lower portion of the spherical head 15 rests. Hinged to the said head plate by a hinging pin 18 (Fig. 4) is one end of a head plate cover 19 (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7), also having a socket 17 therein. The other end of the head plate cover has a hole 20 therein (Fig. 5). In the head plate 16 and below the hole 20 in the head plate cover is a threaded hole to accommodate the threaded portion of a locking screw 22 (Figs. 1. and 2). This has a milled head 23. In the head plate 16 is also a threaded hole 24 (Fig. 5). This accommodates the threaded portion of a locking screw 25 (Figs. 1 and 2). On top of the said head plate 16 is placed the pivotal end of the upper cast holding plate 26 (Figs. 2 and 6). This cast holding plate has a slot 27 therein to acconunodate the locking screw 25. This enables the said upper cast holding plate 26 to be moved backwards or forwards from the locking screw which acts also as a pivot pin. The cast end of the said upper plate 26 has a circular ring 28 formed thereon crossed by a rib 29 (Fig. 6).

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact details of construction and arrangement described since various slight and immaterial modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and the scope of my invention.

With my invention not only can the upper member and cast be lifted bodily by the elevating screw 8 but the cast is also capable of a variety of movements. It can be moved to or from the pivot pin 6, and either side of the said cast can be lowered thereby elevating the other side, or the cast may be moved circumferentially to the right or to the left around the spherical head 15, or around the locking screw 25 as a center. Again the front of the cast may belowered while the back of the cast remains, comparatively speaking, elevated, or vice versa. WVhen the cast is to descend bodily the elevating screw 8 is turned downwardly. If it is desired to move the cast to or from the pivot pin 6 the locking screw 25 is slackened and the upper cast holding plate 26 moved backwards or forwards upon the head plate 16. hen the upper cast requires a circumferential motion around the locking screw 25 the said locking screw is slackened. If a circumferential motion is required around the spherical head the locking screw 22 is slackened. By my elevating screw 8, loc ing screw 22 and locking screw 25 I am able to secure a perfect and even contact or any other desired form of contact between the upper and lower casts in a few seconds.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a dental articulator, a lower plate, a yoke pivoted thereto, an upper plate having a cover hinged thereto, said plates being correspondingly recessed to form a socket, a ball on said yoke engaging said socket, and a cast holding device secured to said upper plate. 2

2. In a dental articulator, a lower cast holding plate, a head plate, a part chamber therein, a head plate cover hinging by a pivot pin to said head plate, a part chamber in said head plate cover, said head plate cover being pressed to the head plate by a locking screw, in combination with an upper cast holding plate, said upper cast holding plate having a slot through its pivotal end, a locking screw passing through said slot and into said head plate, all as and for the purposes hereinbefore described or as illustrated in the drawings.

3. In a dental articulator, a lower member, upwardly extending arms on the pivotal end of said member, a pivot pin passing through said arms, lugs pivoted to said pivot pin, a shoulder piece between said lugs, a bent neck protruding from said shoulder piece, a spherical head upon said neck in combination with a head plate, a part chamber therein, a head plate cover hinging by a pivot pin to said head plate, a part chamber in said head plate cover, said head plate cover being pressed to the head plate by a locking screw, and an upper cast holding device mounted on said head plate all as and for the purposes hereinbefore described or as illustrated in the drawings.

4:. In a dental articulator, a lower member, upwardly extending arms on the pivotal end of said member, a pivot pin passing through said arms, lugs pivoted to said pivot pin, a shoulder piece between, said lugs, a bent neck protruding from said shoulder piece, a spherical head upon said neck, in combination with a head plate, a part chamber therein, a head plate cover hinged by a pivot pin to. said head plate, a part chamber in said head plate cover, said head plate cover being pressed to the head plate by a locking screw, an upper cast holding plate, said upper cast holding plate having a slot in its pivotal end, a locking screw passing through said slot and into the said head plate, all as and for the purposes hereinbefore described or as illustrated in the drawings.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT vIoToR DEAR.

l/Vitnesses EDWIN PI-IILLIPs, CECIL MoPLAsrRIER. 

